12 traits of a hustler

Just to spice up the day we launch THE HUSTLER, we would like to share a very interesting article written by Jeraldine in her blog. Have a great weekend everyone!

You have to be a Hustler.

“Hustle” is a word that usually carries a negative connotation. When most people think of the word, they think about someone who is selling sex, dealing drugs, conning people or doing something unethical.

The term has since evolved.

Google now tells me that a hustler is “An aggressively enterprising person; a go-getter.” and has connotations of “energetic activity and drive”.

It is a very positive term which represents an individual who goes after what they want regardless of what it takes.

There is nothing wrong with doing whatever it takes to succeed, as long as what you are doing is ethical, doesn’t harm others and is legal.

Here are 12 traits which I think encompasses the term “Hustler” and how having these qualities of a Hustler can make you successful in today’s world.

1. Hardworking

As Gary Vaynerchuksays, there’s not substitute to hard work and there’s opportunity cost to becoming successful. There’s no work/life balance when you’re starting out. Ask any successful person if they had a work/life balance when they started, I bet that the answer was a NO.

2. Create your own opportunities

Hustlers are inherently impatient. They are averse to waiting for things to come their way. Instead, they go out there to create their own opportunities

If you’re constantly looking for angles to make money or to capitalize on a specific opportunity, that’s a huge sign that you’re a young hustler. The more creative and innovative you are, the better your chances for success will be.

3. Work smart

There are those who see something just as it is and there are those that see a system that has loopholes and can be broken. A hustler is the latter.

He/she is able to understand the dynamics and metrics of a task or action and knows the situation well and how to steer it in the direction they want it to go.

Working smart means making the most out of the control you have over a situation and utilizing the knowledge you have of that situation to understand how to conquer what’s in front of you most effectively.

They have an amazing ability to navigate through all the ups and downs, risks and opportunities and challenges it encounters. They are never caught off-guard by a development and always have a plan B.
They can spot opportunities and paths to take that most can’t. Having an engineering background I often think about making things efficient. Savvy entrepreneurs are just that – efficient. They don’t take a ‘throw it at the wall and see what sticks’ approach.

They are thinking three steps ahead all the time. They know the next steps they have to take and aggressively push forward.

4. Proactive and self-starter

No one has to tell a hustler what to do. They don’t need to be motivated or inspired because they have a big enough reason “why” already burning inside them. Their drive is that they know they believe they are capable of great things.

They know that they have room to grow and, no matter how successful they are, they still see a lot of runway in front of them.

5. Determined

Hustlers aren’t put off by their failures, and they don’t give up on their dreams. When one thing doesn’t work, they keep trying things until they figure out how to get the result they need.

Screw Rejection. Hustlers are ready to knock down doors to make good partnerships and secure clients – Cold-calling, asking friends for help, going to your family.

6. Hustlers aren’t selfish

They think win-win. They know that the greater outcomes they want are only found through creating greater value for more people.

They only earn what they are worth, and they increase that worth all of the time.

7. Not afraid to promote themselves

Hustlers are not afraid to promote themselves. It is one thing to be humble and another thing to be a jerk, but if you are afraid to promote you and your business, you are not hustling.

Personal branding and self-promotion doesn’t mean telling the whole world how awesome you are or putting down your competitors to feel better.

However, it does mean making a conscious effort to promote, tell people what you are up to, and also have confidence in your accomplishments.

Hustlers don’t criticize other hustlers. They admire them. They acknowledge people who are the best at what they do, and they learn from them.

9. Not afraid to say no

Don’t be afraid of saying “No”. If you are hustling, opportunities will come your way. If the opportunity isn’t right for you, say no. Don’t chase and take on all opportunities, just find the ones that work for you and your brand.

10. Healthy disregard for authority

If you’re frustrated with the rules and are constantly finding ways to get around them, that’s a big sign. Hustlers question conventional ways of doing things and think of more efficient and effective methods. They would rather create their own rules instead of following them.

11. No excuses

How many people do you know who have an excuse for everything that goes wrong with their lives? Real hustlers don’t make excuses. They own their actions and results completely. For instance, in Singapore, we have two years of compulsory military service. Some people get really depressed and blame the government for halting their growth and wasting two years of their lives. While others make the most out of whatever spare time they have to start a business, get multiple licenses to upgrade themselves or just have loads of fun.

Hustlers don’t stand around the water cooler and commiserate with the cynics, the critics, the burnouts, the has-beens, and the never-weres. They don’t complain about their manager, the compensation structure, their clients, or their co-workers. Hustler’s don’t complain about the political party in power or the economy, even though they may have strong feelings about these issues.

Hustlers know that commiserating doesn’t change anything. They know that complaining about their work-life doesn’t in any way improve it, nor does complaining about politics or the overall economy.

There is nothing to be gained by complaining. The way to make something better is through taking action.

Instead of complaining about what’s wrong at work, hustlers find a way to create massive value, gain influence, and change what they need to change for themselves. If things are really bad where they are and they can’t do what they need to do to make a difference, they move on and find a new home where things are better.

They don’t wallow in their sorrow, helpless and disempowered.

12. Ambition

Hustlers have a bigger vision of themselves. They believe they are capable of great things. They know that they have room to grow and, no matter how successful they are, they still see a lot of runway in front of them.

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Note that hustling should be a means to an end and not the end itself. You need to have some kind of long term vision as to where you are heading.

In a nutshell, get out there, ignore the haters, build allies, seek opportunities, think strategically, don’t be afraid of hard and dirty work and your success will be limitless. =)